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J. P. LAVIGNB.

RIPPING DEVICE.

Patentedquly 14.1885.

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JOSEPH P. LAviCNE, OE NEW HAvEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSICNOH To SAMUEL HALLIWELL, OE SAME PLACE.

RlPPlNe SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,299, dated July 14, 1885.

Application filed March 2, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new Improvements in Ripping-Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the Same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent in- Figure l, the implement as opened, exposing the ripping-blade for action; Fig. 2, an edge view of the same; Fig. 3, a side view showing the blade as turned to bring the ripper within the handle, and also to show the blade extended to form a screw-driver; Fig. 4, a trans verse section through the pivot enlarged; Fig. 5,a side view showing the square pivot-opening in the blade and the round pivot-opening in one side of the handle, also enlarged.

This invention relates to a device for ripping stitched seams in fabrics, the object being a device which may be readily employed, and without liability of cutting the fabric; and the invention consists inthe construction of the instrument as hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the ripping-blade. It is hung in a handle, B. At its extreme outer endit is formed with a diagonal hook-shaped cuttinged ge, a, and directly back of this cutting-edge is a transverse V-shaped notch, b. The apex of this notch is brought to a Sharp cuttingedge, as at d, the edge extending forward and dying out upon the sides of the notch, as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

The edgeais employed to start the ripping, its hooked point and sharp edge enabling it to readily enter between the fabric so as to cut the iirst stitches and start the ripping. After such starting has been -produced the handle iS taken in the hand and the blade introduced'to bring the notch binto the seam, the apex d against the threads, then pressing the blade directly forward, as indicated bythe broken line, Fig. l, the stitches are cut by the sharp edge of theV apex of the notch, the sides of the blade itself forming a guard to prevent cutting-con- 50 tact with the edges of the fabric being ripped. The handle B is of sheet metal, doubledinto U shape, the two ends brought together at the pivot where the blade A is introduced between the two ends, the length of the handle being greater than the length of the blade, and so that the blade may be turned entirely within the handle between its two sides, the sides thereby forming a protector for theblade, and in order that the blade may be firmly held when turned to its out or working position the body 6c C of the pivot is made square, and a correspending square opening is made through one side of the handle B. Through the `blade is a like opening, through which the square portion of the pivot may extend, as seen in Fig. 4, the head D of thepivot bearing against the outside ofthe handle. The end ofthe pivot extends through the other side ofthe handle,y and is screw-threaded, as at E, and onto this screw-thread, upon the side of the handle op posite the head, a nut, F, is applied so as to clamp the two sides of the handle upon the blade, as seen in Fig. 4. As the pivot cannot turn in the handle or blade upon the pivot,` owing to the Square or angular shape of the body of the pivot, it follows that when thus clamped the blade is `firmly held in its open position.

To close the blade,it is only ncccssaryto unscrew the nut F until the body of the pivot may be drawn from theblade, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. `4. fThen the blade may be turned into the handle, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 3, the handle there forming a protector for the blade, and when thus turned intothe handle the nut is returned to clamp thc parts and hold the blade in this closed condition.

As a screw-driver is anecessary instrument to a sewing-machine, and as a ripper is also a necessary implement, it is convenient to combine the two'in one. This I do by extending the blade lA beyond the pivot to form ascrewdriver, H, and so that either may be presented, as indicated in Figs. l and 3, and whenso presented may beA clamped and iirmlyheld. Thus I produce a combined implement for the use of sewingmachine operators; but the extension ofthe blade to forni thescrewdrivcrmay be omitted.

I claim- A l. A ripping-implement consisting of the blade A, terminating in the hook-shaped cuir ting-edge a, and constructed with the V -shaped transverse notch b, the apex of the V havinga cutting-edge extending onto the sides of the notch, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the blade A, terminating in the hook-shaped cutting-edge a, and constructed with the V-shaped notch b, the apex of the V having a cutting-edge extending onto the sides of the notch,witha Ushaped handle, B, between the ends of which the said blade is pivoted, and so that the blade may be turned between the two sides of the handle, substantially as described. Y

3. The herein-described implement, consisting of the ripping-blade A, terminating at one end in a ripper and the other end as a screw- JOSEPH P. LAVIGN E.

' Vitnesses:

LoUIs S. DAY, RUFUS S. PIOKETT. 

